HAMILTON — Like most high school students, Mondays usually represent the end of the weekend and the start of another long week of classes for Briyanna Femia.

But that day suddenly took on a whole new look in late July when the Steinert High senior girls’ soccer goalie mapped out the next four years of her life by giving a verbal commitment to Rider coach Drayson Hounsome.

“It was on a Monday at the end of July,” Femia said. “It was the best call I ever got. In fact, it was the best Monday I ever had.”

Advertisement

Hounsome, who had first seen Femia play at a showcase in New York state, was calling with an offer.

“He said he wanted me on the team and explained all the options with the money,” Femia said. “He told me to talk to my parents. We talked and called him back on the same day and said ‘OK, I’ll take it.’”

Femia not only gives the Broncs a strong goalie, it gives them a Mercer County presence starting in 2014.Rider does not have a Colonial Valley Conference player on the roster entering the upcoming season.

The Broncs have a redshirt freshman goalie in South Brunswick High grad Vanessa Perdomo and a true freshman keeper from England in Bethany-May Howard.

Rider has had three straight winning seasons, including last year’s 10-4-3 mark, which was the best in Hounsome’s five years as coach. Although he has young keepers, Hounsome has told Femia he will give her a chance next year.

“When I had gone in he said he wouldn’t bring me on the team if I didn’t have a chance of playing,” Femia said. “But with the other goalies, it’s competition. I like competing.”

Femia has been Steinert’s starting goalie since her freshman season, and will be playing behind a newly built defensive unit this season.

“I actually think we’re going to be good,” she said. “All the seniors this year are really invested in it. A lot of the freshmen came in prepared.”

At 5-foot-3, Femia makes up for lack of height with a ton of athleticism. She admits her smaller frame did scare off several Division I coaches and she was hoping to go Division II or Division III.

But Hounsome liked what he saw in New York, and attended a few other tournaments, then invited her on campus and had a Rider player show her around all day. That clinched it for Femia.

“I loved it there,” the goalie said. “It was so nice on the campus, it’s nice and close. People I know can come and watch me play. It’s great.

“I really did want to be committed before my senior year because it takes a lot of pressure off and I know what I’m going into next year before our season starts. It gives you time to prepare before the preseason next year. The biggest weight is lifted off my shoulders.”